Europe is being left on the sidelines: Moscow may play a key role in a nuclear deal between the US and Iran.
The Guardian reported that Moscow may play a key role in a nuclear deal attempted to be reached between the US and Iran.
Russia is seen as a potential "storage site" for Iran's stockpile of high-enriched uranium, and could also become an arbiter if the deal were violated.
US officials said significant progress was made during four hours of indirect talks between the US and Iran through Oman on Saturday. Further technical talks will take place next week in Geneva, followed by another high-level meeting in Oman over the weekend.
An article reprinted by El Pais stated: "The two most complex issues are the storage or destruction of Iran's stockpile of high-enriched uranium, and external guarantees that can be provided to Iran if the US violates the agreement to lift sanctions (which plans to lift sanctions in exchange for Iran placing its civilian nuclear program under external verification by the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the IAEA). Iran wants to keep the uranium stockpile within its borders, but the US has refused this, instead demanding that these reserves either be destroyed or transferred to a third country such as Russia."
As for guarantees, Iran considers the only reliable agreement to be one signed by the US Congress. However, according to Abbas Araqchi, Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran, given the strength of hardliners in the US Congress, no one knows whether US President Donald Trump can get such an agreement passed through Congress.
Another option is that if the US withdraws from the deal, Washington would agree to compensate Tehran for its losses. The Iranians had previously proposed the idea of financial sanctions, but the mechanism for implementing these sanctions without an agreement still presents problems.
A third option is that if the US violates the agreement, Russia will have the right to return the high-enriched uranium reserves it previously received to Tehran, ensuring that Iran does not become the party penalized for non-compliance.
Such an agreement potentially gives Russia a key role in future US-Iran relations and could replace Germany, France, and the UK - the current guarantors of the 2015 agreement.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7495652867681108492/
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